Polymerization process



United sta 3 3 POLYMERIZATION PROCESS Em'ory W. Pitzer, Bartlesville, kla., assignor to Phillips Petroleum Company, a corporation of Delaware N0 Drawing. Applicationoctober 1, 1954 Serial No. 459,862

8 Claims. c1. 260*935) This invention relates to the polymerization of polymerizable organic compounds. In one aspect it relates to a process for the production of unique polymers which range in properties from liquids and tacky semi-solids to brittle or flexible solids. In another aspect it relates to a process for polymerizing an olefinic com-pound in the presence of a catalyst prepared by a novel method.

This application is a continuation-in-part .of my copending application Serial No. 363,411, filed June 22, 1953, now abandoned.

The copending application of J. P. Hogan and R. L. Banks, Serial No. 333,576, filed January 27, 1953, now

Patented Mar. 8,1960

Alternatively, the materials can beseparately and'indrj vidually micronized to the prescribed size and then mixed together in any suitable mixing device until ahomogeneous mixture is obtained. The mixture and/ or micronization can be effected either with the materials in the dry state or the presence oi added water or other suitable liquid which is .no ndeleterious to the resulting contact mass and to the micronizing or aggregate-forming steps. In most cases, it is presently preferred that the and chromium oxide, in a stream of air or other gas in abandoned,- sets forth a method for the production of unique polymers by the polymerization of certain olefins in the presence of a catalyst comprising chromium oxide associated with at least one other oxide, such as silica and/or alumina. The present application provides a process of the type set forth in the Hogan and Banks application and effectsincreased conversions and yields by the use of a chromium oxide catalyst having a; composition similar to that disclosed inthe-Hogan andBanlrs. application but prepared by a novel method whichj isi simple and which results in a catalyst having improved activity. The product polymers, more fully described in the cited application, are useful for making 'molded articles, pipe, protective coatings,. and additives for lubricating oil. I V

According to this invention, a polymerizable unsaturated organic compound is polymerized by contacting with a chromium oxide polymerization catalyst comprising chromium oxide and at least one other oxide, said catalyst having been prepared by a method which comprises, as an essential step, grinding the components thereof to an average particle size of less than 5 microns and preferably less than 1 micron. The catalyst can be referred to as a micronized catalyst. The particle size referred to herein is determined by a sedimentation method wherein the size of the various particles of a finely divided solid is measured by their rate of sedimentation a liquid and. a statistical distribution curve of particle sizes is prepared. It will be clear to those skilled in the art thatapowdered solid which has been ground. to an average particle size less than 5 microns will contain some particles of va larger size however, these particles will necessarily bequite small and, according to this invention, it is preferred that not over percent of the particles be of a size larger than 5 microns.

According to one embodiment of the invention, particulate alumina and chromium oxide are introduced in the desired proportions into a micronizing device such as a .ball mill, a rod mill, a pebble mill, a pulverizer, or other attrition device, wherein the partiele'size is reduced by grinding, attrition, or other comminution until the average particle size, measured as previously described, is less than 5' microns-and preferably than 1 micron. During the ,comminution step the materials which are to become the components of the catalyst are thoroughly 'pilor other combustible binder known in the art.

an attrition zone and maintaining the mixture me state of agitation and attrition, preferably under dense-phase or hindered settling conditions, by the suspending and turbulent action of the gas until the desired amount of attrition and reduction in particle size has been obtained.

The use of a mechanical pulverizer is often preferred,

however, because it is more rapid. I I

After the formation of an intimate homogeneous mix ture of the components of the contact mass in micronized' form, the mixture is pelleted or otherwise agglomerated to form suitable aggregates for thecontacting operasmaller arepto be formed, it has been found desirable first to pellet, the microni'zed' material into,- ior example, /4""-by' A cylindrical pellets, with the aid of a suitable binder and lubricant, such as a hydrogenated vegetable When it is desired to form microniz 'ed material'into small cylindrical pills, such as A! by /8 or /8 by li it has been found preferable to use-an indirect method on account of the resistance of how of the material into the pelle'ting dies. It has been found difiicult to cause micronized materials to flow into such dies so as to fill the dies completely before, the material is compacted into pellets; 'By first p'ell'eting the material into larger pellets and crushing or othervvise breaking up the pellets into 20 to 80 mesh particles, for example, the resulting small aggregates can then be readily caused to flow into pelleting dies so as to form As" by A or smaller pellets.

Where it is desired to conduct the polymerization by a fluidized catalyst technique, the micronized particles mixed so as m form an intimate homogeneous mixture.

according to this inventioncan be utilized as such; or small aggregates, suitable for this type of process, can be made by grinding pellets formed of micronized particles, according to this invention, to the requiredsize, e.g. to 200 mesh. A maximum particle size of'120 mesh is generally preferred. A size range of 20 to" 100 mesh is further preferred.

As previously indicated, according to this invention, the catalytic components are admixed together in the desired proportions and micronized in an pparatus such as ball, rod, tube, or hammer mill until the average particle sizeof the material is smaller than 5 microns and preferably smaller than 1 micron. In any event, a substantial quantity of the ground materialis as line as 0.01 micron. The micronization can seemed out either wetor dry, with or without the use of'a lubricant,

with recycling of the coarser particles to the comminu tion step for further reduction in size. If desired, a

lubricant can be utilized in the comminution step, in which case the lubricant should be one which facilitates the pilling of the material without deleterious effect on the comminution or the catalyst activity. Examples of suitable lubricants are, graphite, hydrogenated Vegetable oil, such as hyrogenated corn oil (Sterotex), hydrogenated peanut oil, and hydrogenated cotton seed oil. The amount of lubricant employed canvary from a few (e.g. 1 or 2) percent up to about weight percent or more of the materials being micronized, but amounts which appreciably reduce catalytic activity, for example, by giving rise to excessive temperatures during the subsequent combustion, should be avoided. Such amounts can be determined by trial in any particular case. When combustible lubricant is used in the micronizing step in proper quantity, the use of additional lubricant in the subsequent pilling step is often not required. Afterthe pilling or pelleting operation, the lubricant is removed by heating the pills in an oxygen containing atmosphere to a temperature of, for example, about 1000 F. within a period of 3 hours and maintaining that temperature for a period of, for example, 20 hours or longer. Combustion of the lubricant at higher or lower temperatures is also feasible, but care should be taken not to overheat the catalyst so as to impair its activity.

The reason for the superiority of the catalysts prepared by the method of this invention is not well understood. It is possible that the fineness of the particle size alone is responsible for the improved activity or that the improvement is due to surface characteristics imparted to the minute particles by-micronizing. At any rate, the catalysts of this invention in which the particulate raw materials have been micronized produce superior results in contacting operations, when these particles have been formed into aggregates, as compared with the same materials formed into catalysts according to previously known methods. Catalyst activity is most instances is closely related to surface characteristics of the catalytic material and it is possible that the micronizing favorably affects the catalyst surface characteristics of the particles.

The starting materials for the catalysts utilized in this invention are chromium oxide and at least one other oxide, which when composited or associated with chromium oxide forms a catalyst which is active for the polymerization of polymerizable organic compounds. The

chromium oxide can initially be utilized in any of the oxidation states known in the art; however, it is preferred to utilize chromium trioxide (CrO as a starting material, The accompanying oxide or oxides are most frequently selected from the group consisting of silica and alumina, although other oxides are operative. The silica is preferably utilized in the form of a gel. The alumina can be utilized in the form of precipitated alumina gel, activated alumina, or bauxite. Although it is ordinarily preferable that the silicon or aluminum oxide be utilized in the state of hydration in which it is finally to appear in the finished catalyst, it is often more practical to use hydroxides or hydrated or hydrous oxides, such as, for example, alumina trihydrate, as the starting material. Materials which are often preferred as a catalyst component in addition to chromium trioxide, according to this invention, are composites of silica and alumina. The silica and the alumina can vary in proportions in such a composite over a very wide range, for example, from 0.5 weight percent silica up to 99.5 percent silica, the remainder being alumina. A very satisfactory material is a commercially available cracking catalyst in the form of a coprecipitated composite gel of silica and alumina comprising about 90 weight percent silica and about 10 weight percent alumina. A composite prepared by impregnating partially dried silica gel with a solution of an aluminum salt and subsequently drying and igniting can likewise be used. It is also within the scope of this invention to utilize alumina and/or silica which has been pretreated with HF, as set forth in the cited copending application of Hogan and Banks.

It is also Within the scope of this invention to include, as a catalyst component, in addition to those already mentioned, strontium oxide, as more fully described in the copending application of Hogan nad Banks, Serial No. 433,804, filed June 1, 1954, now Patent No. 2,846,425.

The catalyst of this invention should contain at least 0.1 and ordinarily not over 10 weight percent chromium in the form of chromium oxide. Larger amounts of chromium oxide can be used, but appear to add substantially no activity to the catalyst. It is ordinarily preferred that the chromium (Cr) content be within the range 0.5 to 10 weight percent. At least -0.1 weight percent of the catalyst should be hexavalent chromium. The presence of hexavalent chromium can be assured by utilizing chto mium trioxide as the starting material and/or as a step (usually the final step) in the catalyst preparation, activating the catalyst in dry air at a temperature in the range 650 to l500 F. for from 1 to 10 hours. It is preferable that the temperature be controlled within the range 900 to 1100 1 more preferably 900 to 1000 F., during the activation treatment. A stream of dry air or oxygen can be passed through or over the catalyst during the activa tion treatment. By dry air, as used herein, is meant air in which the partial pressure of water is less than 0.1 of mercury. The air is preferably anhydrous in so fat as this state can be practically attained.

Reactants suitable for use in the polymerization process of this invention include monoolefins and diolefins. In order to produce a solid or tacky polymer, it is necessary that the feed olefin be an aliphatic l-olefin having a maximum chain length of 8 carbon atoms and no chain branching nearer the double bond than the 4-position. Examples of such l-olefins are ethylene, propylene, l-butene, l-pentene, l-hexene and S-methyl-l-hexene. It is also within the scope of this invention to copolymerize one or more olefins, for example, to prepare a copolymer of ethylene and propylene. Olefins other than l-olefins can be polymerized in the presence of the catalyst of this invention, but form liquid polymers and very little, if any, solid polymer. Examples of such olefins are 2-butene, and 2-methyl-2-pentene.

It is usually desirableto utilize a solvent in the process of this invention as a reaction medium and/or a medium for the recovery of polymer. fSuitable V solvents are hydrocarbons which are liquid andchemically inert under the reaction conditions. Such solvents are parafiins, such as those having from 5 to 12 carbon atoms, for example, 2,2,4-trimethylpentane (isooctane), normal hexane and normal decane. A preferred class of solvents are naphthenic hydrocarbons such as cyclohexane and methylcyclohexane, as set forth in more detail in the copending application of W. C. Lanning, Serial No. 450,225, filed August 16, 1954, now abandoned.

The contacting of the reactants with the catalyst can be eifected by methods known in the art. One method comprises dissolving the reactant olefin in a solvent of thetype described and contacting the resulting solution in the liquid phase with the catalyst. In this method of operation, a solution of from 1 to 20 weight percent'of the olefin in the solvent is generallypreferred. Another method comprises contacting the olefin in the gaseous or vapor phase with the catalyst, whereby substantially all of the solid polymer accumulates on the surface of the catalyst and is removed in a subsequent step by the use of a solvent of the type described. This type of operation is set forth in more detail in the copending application of G. T. Leatherman, and, C. V. Detter, Serial No. 433,801, filed June 1, 1954, now abandoned. The use of a moving or gravitating bed or a'fiuidized fixed bed of catalyst is also within the scope of this invention. Another method of contacting comprises suspending the catalyst (e.g. 20 to 50 mesh) in the solvent in which the feed olefin is dissolved and reacting the mixture in a reactor provided with a state which maintains the catalystirl suspe s'io'n. The polymer is latercompletelydissolved; I and r'ecoveredt'h'erefrgni by distillation orb cooling foll wed. by filtra lQl1. In any event, the pro net polymer can be recovered from solution in the solvent by flashing, distillation, or cooling andfiltration. I

The polymerization conditions, in general, comprise a temperature in the range150 to. 450 F a pressure i'rl'jthe range '0 tb 700 'p.s;i. and a liquid hourly Space Velocity in the range 0.11 to 20, preferably 1 to 10, or an equivalent space velocity when the reaction is conducted in the gaseous phase. Whenethylene is the reactant olefin and the catalyst is used in'th'e form of a stationary orfixed bed, a temperature in the range 275 t6-375 F.-is preferred. When ethylene is the reactant olefin and a mobile catalyst, c.g. in the form of a suspension a liquid solvent, is used a temperature in the range to 350 F. is. preferred. Temperatures in the upper pan of the latter range produce a brittle polymer whereas those in the lower part ofsaid range produce a relatively flexible polymer. When. the reactant olefin is pr pylne or a higher olefin, the preferred reaction temperature is in the range 150-to 250 F. When the olefin is reacted in admixture with a hydrocarbon solvent, a pressure sufficient to maintain the reaction mixture preponderantly in the liquid phase is satisfactory. This pressure is ordiiiarily in the range 100 to 600 p.s.i. I 1 A It is within the scope of the present invention-tweenduct polymerization in the presence of a catalyst having the chemical composition as described herein-and prepared by first utilizing a conventional method such as impregnation of a carrier with, for example, an aqueous solution of chromic acid, followed by comminution of the resulting composite to an average particle size of less than 5 microns and subsequent re-aggregation according to this invention. Thus the activity of a catalyst which has been prepared by other methods can be improved by the method of this invention.

After a period of use, the activity of the catalyst declines, even when most of the deposited polymer has been recovered by treatment of the catalyst with a solvent. When the decline in activity reaches such a point that the conversion per pass reaches an undesirably low level, the catalyst can be regenerated by contact with an oxidizing gas such as air, which can be diluted with an inert gas. The removal of organic matter by combustion is preferably followed by an activation treatment as previously described herein.

Commercially available olefins, particularly ethylene,

often contain small amounts of impurities, such as oxy- Example A micronized catalyst was prepared by utilizing a commercially available cracking catalyst prepared by coprecipitating silica and alumina in the form of a mixed gel containing 90 'weight percent silica and 10 weight percent alumina. Pellets of this material were milled in a one-gallon ball mill for 32 hours. 870 grams of the resulting powder, which had a particle size smaller than 230 mesh, was mixed with 41.7 grams of granular solid chromium trioxide and the mixture was milled in, i

a ball mill for 14 hours. average particle size less than 5 microns.

The resulting powder had an The powder was formed into pills using Sterotex as a lubricant and,

binder. The pills were cylindrical in shape and were A; in length and A2" in diameter. They were prepared by the use of a Stokes BB-2 pilling machine. The micronized mixture was first pelleted on the machine to form /i' syn cylindrical pellets. Thesewere ground to 20-100 mesh size and subsequently formed into Vs"- by /s" pellets by use of'the pilli'ng machine. The resulting pellets were heated at approximately 900 F. in an oxygen-nitrogen mixture containing 2 volume percent oxygen until the Sterotex had been removed by combustion. The resulting catalyst was activated by heating in dry air at 950 F. for 6 hours. t

A second catalyst was prepared by impregnating another portion of the previeusly described original silicaalumina pellets with an aqueous solution of chromium 'tribxide followed by drying and activating by heating in dry airas previously described. I m r Each r the above catalysts contained 2.5 weight percent chromium in the form of chromium oxide.

Two polymerization runs were made, in each of which each of the catalysts above 6e bed was used to polymerize ethylene at 330 450' psi; and a liquid hourly space-d velocity of '6. The catalyst wa utilized in the runner a fixed bed of the ellets; The feed mixture comprised 2.0 weight percent ethylene, 0.6 wei ht percent ethane and 97.4' weight percent isooctane (2,2,4- trimethylpentane); The duration of each polymerization run was 12 hours. The n' icronized catalyst prepared according to this invention, effected an ethylene conversion of 9.6 percent per pass, whereas the second catalyst, prepared by impregnation with an aqueous solution, efiected a conversion of 93' percent per pass. Since "the increase in conversion exhibited by the catalyst of this. invention occurred at a conversion level which was already high, a very substantial increase in the catalyst activity resulting from the catalyst prepared according to this invention is indicated.

The polymer produced by themicronized catalyst of this. invention, which polymer was recovered by distilling off the isooctane solvent and recovering the residue, had a molecular weight of 14,100, as determined by measuring the intrinsic viscosity of a solution of the polymer in tetralin; a density (20" C.) of 0.955; a melting point of 246-F.; and an impact strength of 0.102 foot-pounds, as measured by the falling-ball test. This test comprises causing a steel ball of known weight to fall from a measured height vertically onto a molded disc of the polymer and measuring the minimum height of fall necessary to shatter the disc. This was a height of 6 inches in the case of the polyethylene product of the run according to this. invention. 0

The product of the run utilizing the solution-impregnated catalyst had properties similar to those set forth above.

The improved activity of the catalysts of this invention is demonstrated by the increased conversion obtained vided an improved polymerization process which comprises contacting a polymerizable organic compound, preferably. at least one l-olefin having a maximum chain length of 8 carbon atoms and no branching nearer the double bond than the 4-position at polymerization conditions of temperature and pressure, with a composite chromium oxide catalyst prepared by a method which comprises grinding the components of the catalyst to an average particle size less than 5 microns. While certain compositions, process steps and examples have been described for purposes 'of illustration, it is clear that the invention is not limited thereto.

I claim:

1. A process which comprises polymerizing a polymerizable aliphatic olefin in the presence of a chromium oxide composite polymerization catalyst prepared by a method which comprises grinding chromium oxide and at least one oxide selected from' the group consisting of silica and alumina, which, in. association with said chromium oxide, forms a. catalyst which is 'active for polymerization of said olefin, to an average particle size of less than 5 microns, pelleting the resulting ground catalyst, crushing the resulting pelletsvto a particle size of 20 to 80 mesh, and repelleting the crushed catalyst, the polymerization being conducted at a temperature and at a pressure suitable to initiate polymerization of said compound.

2. The process of claim 1 wherein said polymerizable olefin is a l-olefin.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said olefin is ethylene.

4. A process for polymerizing an aliphatic l-olefin which comprises contacting said olefin with a' catalyst consisting essentially of chromium oxide, silica and alumina, said catalyst being active for said polymerization, said catalyst having been prepared by grinding the mixture of said oxides to an average particle size less than 5 microns, not over 10 percent of the ground particle having a particle size greater than 5 microns, pelleting the ground mixture of oxides, crushing the resulting pellets to a particle size or 20 to 80 mesh, and repelleting the crushed catalyst, the catalyst containing 0.1 to 10 Weight percent chromium as chromium oxide, at least 0.1 weight percent of said catalyst being hexavalent chromium, the polymerization being conducted at a tempera- References Cited the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,345,323 Frazer et al. June 29, 1920 2,332,276 Stahly Oct. 19, 1943 2,397,301 Vesterdal Mar. 26, 1946 2,432,686 Cummins July 8, 1947 2,585,033 Pitzer Feb. 12, 1952 2,650,202 Hawes' Aug. 25, 1953 2,691,647 Field et-al. Oct. '12, 1954 2,727,023 Evering et a1. Dec. 13, 1955 2,825,721 Hogan et al. Mar. 4, 1958 OTHER REFERENCES Owen: Jour. Amer. Chem. Soc., vol. 69, 1947, pages 2559 and 2560. v Y

Gregg: The Surface Chemistry of Solids, Reinhold, .1951, pages 64, 65, 265, and 266. r 

1. A PROCESS WHICH COMPRISES POLYMERIZING A POLYMERIZABLE ALIPHATIC OLEFIN IN THE PRESENCE OF A CHROMIUM OXIDE COMPOSITE POLYMERIZATION CATALYST PREPARED BY A METHOD WHICH COMPRISES GRINDING CHROMIUM OXIDE AND AT LEAST ONE OXIDE SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF SILICA AND ALUMINA, WHICH, IN ASSOCIATION WITH SAID CHROMIUM OXIDE, FORMS A CATALYST WHICH IS ACTIVE FOR POLYMERIZATION OF SAID OLEFIN, TO AN AVERAGE PARTICLE SIZE OF LESS THAN 5 MICRONS, PELLETING THE RESULTING GROUND CATALYST, CRUSHING THE RESULTING PELLETS TO A PARTICLE SIZE OF 20 TO 80 MESH, AND REPELLETING THE CRUSHED CATALYST, THE POLYMERIZATION BEING CONDUCTED AT A TEMPERATURE AND AT A PRESSURE SUITABLE TO INITIATE POLYMERIZATION OF SAID COMPOUND. 